Chicken Pesto Tart Recipes

CREAMY PESTO CHICKEN WITH ROASTED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Use a small sharp knife to make a slit along the side of each chicken breast to form a pocket. Mix together the pesto and mascarpone, then carefully spoon a quarter of the mixture into each chicken breast and smooth over the opening to seal.
• Brush a little oil, about 1 tsp, all over each chicken breast and season well. Tip the breadcrumbs onto a large plate and season. Place each breast on the plate and press all over with the breadcrumbs. Place in a lightly oiled shallow baking dish along with the tomatoes (kept together on the vine in a couple of bunches). Drizzle over the remaining oil.
• Cook in the oven for 20-25 mins until the chicken starts to turn golden and is cooked through. Scatter over the pine nuts and cook for 2 mins more. Sprinkle with basil leaves and serve with new potatoes or crusty bread.

BAKED PESTO CHICKEN TENDERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Whisk pesto and mayonnaise together in a bowl. Dredge both sides of each chicken tender in the pesto mixture and coat with bread crumbs. Arrange tenders on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn chicken pieces and continue baking until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 15 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the centers should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

CHICKEN PESTO TART

Steps:

• Roll or hand stretch 1/2 of package of bread dough to fit a 9 inch pie plate. You may use the second half of the dough to make a second crust and freeze it for later use. In skillet, heat oil until sizzling; add chicken. Cook over medium-high heat, turning once until chicken is browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add peppers and onions; continue cooking until slightly tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in pesto.
• Distribute mixture over bread dough; top with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

CHEESE, TOMATO & PESTO TART

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200c/fan 180c/gas 6. Unroll the pastry onto a flat baking sheet and, using a sharp knife, score a rectangle two finger-widths from the edge. Fork the pastry all over the inside of the marked edge. Scatter the cheese, olives and tomatoes over the centre of the tart, then season to taste.
• Bake for 20-25 mins until pastry is crisp and risen, tomatoes are soft and the cheese is golden. Drizzle over the pesto and cut the tart into slices to serve. Great with a green salad.